Conditions at Topanga in May
May: The Onshore Wind Takes Over
By May, the East Pacific High strengthens and the thermal low starts to pump a persistent southwesterly flow across the Southern California Bight. Ideal offshore wind plummets to 25%, with WSW at 17.4% and SW at 16.3% dominating the wind rose. Swell heights maintain a fun-sized average around 3ft (0.9m) with 12.0s periods, but the winter west-northwest component has faded; WSW is 40.2%, SW is 24.2%, and W is 29.3%. The long-period nature keeps the waves from completely dying, but most afternoons are bumpy and onshore. Air temps nudge up to 17.1°C, water is 14.0°C, precipitation is only 0.34mm/day, and the best sessions happen before the sea breeze builds.
Average Spot conditions at Topanga in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Topanga during May. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Topanga for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Topanga for May. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Topanga.